Jackson, Miss. — Belhaven’s men’s basketball team posted a season-high offensive performance Tuesday night, defeating Covenant 113-77 in the CCS Tournament quarterfinals at Rugg Arena.
The Blazers improved to 14-12 overall and will face No. 2 seed Huntingdon in the semifinals Friday at 4 p.m. The tournament is hosted by No. 1 seed Maryville, which will play LaGrange on the other side of the bracket.
Belhaven’s 47 made field goals tied for fifth-most in program history. The team also dished out 36 assists, tying the program record set in 2003, according to school records.
Belhaven quickly set the tone, with CJ Minton scoring on a steal and fast-break layup to give the Blazers an early 3-0 lead. The Scots tied the game at 3, but Belhaven responded with an 11-3 run, including back-to-back three-pointers from Minton, and a basket from Dyllion Redmond. Covenant briefly closed the gap to 19-18 before Belhaven pulled away with an 18-3 run midway through the first half.
The lead grew to as much as 40-21 after Minton made consecutive three-pointers. Covenant trimmed the margin to 15 late in the half, but Belhaven finished strong, leading 51-27 at halftime. The Blazers shot 54% in the first half and assisted on 14 of 20 field goals.
Belhaven continued to build its lead in the second half. Minton and DJ Jones scored inside early, pushing the advantage past 25. Covenant responded with baskets from Ethan Parker and Noah Pence, but the Blazers answered every run. A key stretch saw Belhaven extend the lead to 83-53 following a sequence of inside baskets and a dunk from Redmond.
The Blazers maintained their dominance, with Christian McGahan scoring on a fast-break dunk and others contributing in transition. The team finished with 54.7% shooting, 31 fast-break points, and 36 assists. They scored 54 points in the paint and recorded one of the highest-scoring postseason games in program history.
Belhaven now prepares for the semifinal against Huntingdon on Friday at Maryville. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. Follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram for updates, and support the team through Team Green Giving.
